She saw him at the edge of the light first, a massive shape just beyond the reach of the porch glow. He stood still for half a heartbeat, eyes reflecting faintly. Then he charged.
Luca shoved Nadia sideways and out of the way, but Bulwark wasn’t aiming for her. He hit Luca with the sound of boulder on boulder.
Chapter 25
Caidrik left the trial the way he’d left most of the trials so far, limping just enough to piss him off.
The last challenge had been difficult in a very specific way. No shifting allowed. That had been made explicit. Caidrik had spent the night as a human chasing bears down a mountain because that was apparently what passed for wisdom these days, and gravity had taken advantage of every single misstep.
The only bright side in the entire debacle was that he still wore clothes as a human and didn’t need to stomp back into town buck-assed naked. His gloves were torn, his jacket ripped at the shoulder, and his jeans crusted with snow and dirt and a little blood that had dried dark along the seam of his thigh. His boots trampled rocks as he moved, and every scrape sent a reminder up his leg that his knee was not happy.
He was getting to the point where he thought these damn trials were the pack’s way of having a bunch of Alphas handle a bunch of pack problems.
The adrenaline ebbed from his body, and his injuries started to burn. He had bruised ribs that protested every deep breath and a shoulder that felt loose in a way he didn’t trust. His back was one long ache that settled deeper the longer he stayed upright. His thigh burned, sharp and mean, every time he pushed his pace.
Stupid bears.
Hopefully Nadia had spent the night getting some much needed sleep. The silver still lurked in her system, and only time would help her. He sighed. In fact, he could use rest before taking on the last two trials…and his brother.
Bulwark was out there. Waiting.
Silence cut around Caidrik, and he slowed his pace.
The forest should have been louder.
That was the first thing that bothered him, though it took him a few seconds to recognize it for what it was. Snow muted sound, sure, but it didn’t erase it. There should have been something. Wind through branches. A bird stupid enough to move this late. The distant padding of patrols.
He slowed, his breath fogging in front of him, and let his awareness stretch out when something felt off.
Ravencall wolves.
The scent was there, clean and sharp. Male and female, at least three, maybe more. Light enough that they were already gone. Then another scent. One he knew as well as his own.
Nadia.
The hit of her scent nearly stopped him cold. Fear. Pain. Adrenaline. All of it layered thick and fresh enough that it felt like it was happening right now, not minutes ago. Underneath it was something sharp and metallic that made his stomach drop hard.
Silver.
The lodge lights cut through the trees ahead, too bright against the dark sky. He burst into the clearing and took it all in at once, and panic tore the breath from his lungs.
Enforcers were down.
Four of them were sprawled across the snow. For a split second his heart slammed into his throat, and then his senses caught up. They were alive. Breathing. No blood pooling. No fatal wounds. Knocked out. Cleanly.
His gaze snapped past them.
Nadia stood near the SUV, silver cuffs locked around her wrists. Her face was pale, eyes bright and furious and shaken all at once. Her hands were trembling, and the sight of that landed somewhere deep in his chest.
Bulwark had his hand on her arm.
Luca charged him, already bleeding from his neck. Nadia spun away, smashing into the side of the SUV. Blood flashed from the corner of her mouth.
The smell hit Caidrik, and he went primal.
He crossed the distance fast and drove his fist into Bulwark’s jaw. Pain burst up his arm and across his ribs as Bulwark hit back, catching him hard where he was already bruised. Caidrik staggered half a step, clenched his teeth, and came back swinging.
Luca lunged, trying to take advantage. Caidrik pivoted and slammed his elbow into Luca’s throat. Luca choked and stumbled back, coughing, fury flashing across his face.
